The PIPS Program

The Project on International Peace and Security (PIPS) is an undergraduate think tank at the College of William & Mary in which students craft novel policy solutions to emerging international security challenges. Each year PIPS selects six research fellows, who are juniors and seniors, and six research interns, who are freshman and sophomores. Once selected, research fellows spend the academic year identifying an emerging international security challenge and developing an original policy white paper. Research interns support the work of an assigned fellow and learn the craft of conducting policy research and writing briefs.

In developing their projects, fellows interact as a group and with the PIPS directors individually, visiting academics, members of the armed forces, and representatives of a variety of policy organizations, including: Policy Planning, U.S. Department of State; Office of International Affairs, FBI; U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command; CIA; Booz Allen Hamilton; American Enterprise Institute; CATO Institute; Center for Strategic and International Studies; Heritage Foundation; National Defense University; Nixon Center; and Rand Corporation.

The culmination of the PIPS experience is a research symposium held in Washington, D.C. each spring. Research fellows present their white papers to representatives of the policy community and field questions from a discussant and the audience.